


A Soul for a Soul

by flipflop_diva



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Gen, Magical Pregnancy, Natasha Romanov deserved better, Not Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Compliant, POV Natasha Romanov, Soul Stone (Marvel)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-22
Updated: 2020-04-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:01:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23793523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flipflop_diva/pseuds/flipflop_diva
Summary: Natasha's encounter with the Soul Stone goes much differently than she ever could have planned.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 30
Collections: Unusual_Bearings_2020





	A Soul for a Soul

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Nununununu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nununununu/gifts).



> Let's just pretend Infinity War went an entirely different way. And Fury called Carol long before the world went completely to hell.

Bruce looked at her studiously from over the rim of his glasses. “How are you feeling?” he asked, and she didn’t miss the concern apparent in his voice.

“Just tired,” she said. Exhausted, she didn’t say. Feeling like she could sleep for a month. Having to drag herself to the gym in the mornings. Not wanting to spar with Steve but doing it anyway.

“Are you sure?” Like he knew she was hiding something.

Natasha gave him a small smile. “Promise,” she said.

-

_Nothing made sense. Everything was in chaos. Magic flying everywhere. Spears, fists, shields, guns._

_She barely could make out who she was fighting through the smoke. She could see lips moving, but there was too much screaming, too many fists pounding and too many blasts sounding to hear much of anything specific._

_But she knew Thanos was close. She could see Wanda and Carol and Steve out of the corner of her eye, heading across the field toward him. She turned, zapped her Widow’s bite at the creature in front of her, and hurried after them, dodging strikes and blasts from weapons she couldn’t even see._

-

Bruce pushed his chair away from her, studying her again. She pretended not to notice. She was used to people checking her over, but there was something in his eyes that was disconcerting.

“Nothing seems wrong.” He finally spoke. “Breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, all normal.”

“I told you,” she said.

“Steve says you’ve been off.”

She grinded her teeth together just slightly before answering. “Maybe you shouldn’t be taking my medical status from Steve.”

“He’s worried about you.”

“I’m fine. And it’s none of his business.”

He cocked his head just slightly to the side. He didn’t say it, but she could practically hear the words anyway. _He is the captain. Of course he needs to know if you’re okay._

She narrowed her eyes at him in response. She didn’t care if he was right; Steve should direct his concerns to her and not Bruce.

Bruce sighed. “Let me just take some blood. Standard test,” he added, when he saw her expression. “Just to make complete sure.”

She glared, but held out her arm anyway. “Do whatever you have to do.”

-

_They had him surrounded by the time she drew near. He was swatting them off like flies, but she saw the gauntlet on his hand, even through all the dirt and smoke, and she could see it was still missing one final stone._

_Vision was still safe. For now._

_“If you can get the glove!” Someone yelled. Maybe Bucky. They were the only words that were even remotely clear._

_She didn’t think. She raced toward Thanos, toward the hand that wore the glove._

_He was focused on Wanda. She saw Carol shoot into the air. His hand — so much bigger than a human one — was in front of her._

_She leaped, landed on his arm like she was landing on a horse, and reached for the glove._

-

The phone wouldn’t stop ringing. Natasha opened her eyes, groaning. The sunlight was bright in her room. 

How was it not night yet? How was she so tired?

The phone was ringing again. Or maybe it had never stopped. She grabbed it.

“What do you want Bruce?”

“I have something you need to see. In person.”

“Can’t it wait?”

“No, Nat, it can’t.”

-

_She refused to let go. Her entire body ached. He’d slammed her to the ground more than once, but she didn’t care. This was life and death. For her friends. For the people she loved. For the world._

_People were all around her. Steve, Sam, Rhodey, Thor. She could see the flashes from Carol’s lasers, could see the red tendrils of Wanda’s magic._

_She clung harder._

_And then there it was. Something swinging through the air. Silver. Right toward Thano’s head. And then more red tendrils, more lasers._

_Something hit her — she didn’t know what — and then the world exploded. A mass of bright, blinding light and an explosion of heat. She was flying, flying, flying._

_And then there was nothing._

-

Bruce handed her a piece of paper.

“What am I looking at?”

He didn’t answer. She skimmed down the rows and the figures searching for whatever it was that Bruce wanted her to see.

Normal.

Normal.

Normal.

Wait.

She read it again. And then again. And then another time after that. She lifted her head, staring at Bruce, her mouth refusing to work for the longest time.

He just watched her until she could speak.

“I’m pregnant?”

“It sure looks that way.”

-

_She blinked awake to another bright light. Her head was pounding. She couldn’t even begin to take in the state of the rest of her body. It was like she had been run over by an eighteen-wheeler._

_She tried to lift her hand, but it felt like dead weight._

_She opened her mouth to say something, but all that came out was a moan._

_“Shhhhhh.” Steve’s voice was a whisper against her ear, his hand a breath across her head._

_“Wha-a-a-a,” she managed._

_“We won,” he said. “It’s over. Everyone’s okay.”_

_She tried to think. She should have questions._

_But she was so tired. So, so tired._

_She slept._

-

The one medical test she had never had before. The one medical test she thought she would never need.

Bruce hadn’t wanted to do this one, so Helen Cho was here, was sitting next to her, was patting her hand. “Just relax,” Dr. Cho told her.

Natasha watched the screen as Dr. Cho slipped the wand between her legs and inside her. Fear and excitement battled. What if it was nothing? What if it was something?

Dr. Cho maneuvered her hand, fiddled with something on the screen.

A sound echoed through the room.

Natasha caught her eye.

“Congratulations,” Dr. Cho said. “You’re going to have a baby.”

-

_“So the stones exploded?”_

_She could keep her eyes open now at least. Her head pounded a little less._

_“Yes,” Steve said. “Bruce thinks it was the effect of so much magic being used at the same time.”_

_“And I was holding one?”_

_“Yes. When we found you, you had the Soul Stone clutched against you.”_

_“That’s bad?”_

_“There’s a lot of power in those Stones. But the Wakandan doctors said you seem fine.”_

_“You’re not sure?”_

_Steve smiled. “As long as you’re okay, what’s the weirdest thing that could happen?”_

_Natasha smiled back. “Yeah,” she said. “I’m sure it’s fine.”_

-

Dr. Cho closed the door behind her. Natasha finally looked down at the ultrasound photo that was clenched in her hand. She placed her other hand on her belly.

“Hi, baby. I’m your momma.”


End file.
